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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24672130">Flowers Have A Language All Their Own</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heartithateyou/pseuds/Heartithateyou'>Heartithateyou</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avengers (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Cute, Cute Ending, Florist AU, Florists, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, Language of Flowers, M/M, Meeting for the first time, One Shot, Random &amp; Short, Short, Short &amp; Sweet, Short One Shot, Steve owns a flower shop, Stony - Freeform, Sweet, Tony likes obnoxious bouquqts, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, mlm</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:00:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,868</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24672130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heartithateyou/pseuds/Heartithateyou</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve is a florist, who is baffled by the orders of one of his customers.</p><p>He's not sure if he's sending a message with them, or just making the ugliest bouquets possible.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>253</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Flowers Have A Language All Their Own</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Perlmutt/gifts">Perlmutt</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I… what is this order?” He asks, sticking his head out of the back room towards Natasha, who was currently working the front counter at his shop. He had hired her about six months back and still had not learned a single personal detail about her. She was a little terrifying, but also the most reliable employee he had.</p><p>“You saw that huh? Yeah, that is compliments of our newest customer.” She says with a smirk, knowing exactly what he was thinking.</p><p>“Do they… do they understand how hideous this is going to be?” He blurts out, since there is honestly no way of putting it delicately. </p><p>Aconite, buttercups, butterfly weed, and yellow carnations?</p><p>“Yeahhhhh I thought that too. But he was dead set on what he wanted, he wouldn’t even look at other options.”  She said with a snort.</p><p>“I mean, I almost feel bad making this.” He says, shaking his head slightly. If someone knew what these flowers meant, they would probably rethink this bouquet.</p><p>But to be honest, the looks of it alone should make them rethink it.</p><p>“He paid 100% upfront, so looks like you’re stuck with it.” She says, taking another sip of her latte.</p><p>“Well at least he’s paying in full, otherwise I don’t know if I could make myself do this. It’ll be ready by tomorrow.”</p><p>“Mmmm trust me, if you saw this customer, you might think of another reason for doing it.” She says with a wink before turning to her phone.</p><p>“We’ll see.”</p><p> </p><p>“Cyclamen? An entire bouquet of cyclamen?” He asks in bewilderment, coming out from the back room. </p><p>“Yep.” She says with a smirk. Clearly she is loving the torture that is him having to make these weird ass bouquets. Hell, she probably helped this Tony… Stank?</p><p>“But… why?” He asks, holding up the ticket helplessly. </p><p>“Does it really matter?” She asks, as though she’s oblivious to the weirdness.</p><p>“It’s a nice flower and everything, but it symbolizes separation. I guess if you really want to bum someone out with a bouquet…” He gestures helplessly. </p><p>“Or maybe, the person ordering them isn’t the world’s biggest flower nerd and doesn’t care about the meanings, and just likes pretty things.” She says with a delicate eye roll. </p><p>“Tony Stank should at least let me add something else to these, they just look weird on their own.” He says, wondering why someone would just order a random bouquet of depressing flowers.</p><p>“Did you say Tony Stank?” She asks with a snort.</p><p>“Yeah, that’s what it says on the ticket.” He says, pointing to the name line.</p><p>“1.) That says Tony Stark, and 2.) I will let him know you thought his last name was Stank.” She says, letting out a small chuckle.</p><p>“Ugh please don’t.” He groans, I’m sure that would be great for business.</p><p>“I think I’ll have to, he’ll think it’s hilarious.” She says, turning around as the door rings as another customer enters.</p><p>“Nat, you are going to be the death of me.” </p><p> </p><p>“Black roses? An entire bouquet of black roses?” He asks, ask he barges into the front of the store. He honestly has no idea what kind of person could be asking for the bouquets.</p><p>“Yep. That’s what he said.” She says with a smirk, clearly loving this whole situation.</p><p>“Do you think it’s like a funeral thing? Because I can make something way more appropriate and honestly way cheaper for him.” He says, remembering how stupidly expensive black roses are. And honestly wondering why someone would need 24 of them.</p><p>“Not to be judgey but this guy dresses like the last care he has is money.” She states.</p><p>“Well good for him, but he has terrible taste.” He says with a sigh.</p><p>“I’ll let him know next time he’s in.” She says with an evil smile.</p><p>“Do that and you’re fired.” Both of them knowing he probably couldn’t fire her if he tried.</p><p>“Thanks boss, by the way, can I leave early today?” She asks.</p><p>“Can I stop you?” He asks with a laugh, wondering how he ended up with her as a receptionist.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello? Helllllllllllo?” A voice asks as he hears the front bell jingle. He was currently trying to finish his orders and take care of the front, and he was really regretting letting Nat go early.</p><p>“Oh hi, sorry- We usually have someone working up here but she had to leave early. What can I help you with?” He asks as he more or less barges up front. </p><p>“Oh no apologies necessary, this is a pleasant surprise.” The other man asks, with a charming half smile on his face. The other man is more attractive than he wanted  to admit, especially since he was sweating from running back and forth since Nat left. The other man leans over the counter and say, “I ordered a bouquet earlier, I was hoping it’d be ready.”</p><p>“Sure, I can look, what’s the name under?” He asks, grabbing the pile of tickets.</p><p>“Stark. Tony Stark. Or should I say, Tony Stank.” He says with a smirk.</p><p>Oooh so this was the mystery customer with terrible taste. Which was incredibly surprising considering how everything else about him was immaculate.</p><p>“Oh- yes- let me just-“ He stumbles, dropping most of the tickets and he tries to grab for Tony’s.</p><p>“You aren’t used to working the front are you?” He asks with a laugh. Damn, that laugh makes a shiver go down his spine. He feels even more flustered, how is this man so charming without even trying.</p><p>“No- I mean, I just… I’ve noticed the arrangements you’ve been ordering and I was just curious- I mean I don’t know if it’d be rude to ask-“ He stumbles, grabbing the bouquet off black roses.</p><p>“What the actual fuck?” Tony interrupts him with a grin.</p><p>“Uhhhh I was going to put it a little more delicately but something like that.” He says, returning the smile. He was honestly a little jealous of Nat getting to see this man so often.</p><p>“I get it, ordering black roses, maybe not the most usual order. But these are for a terrible ex-fling who outed me, I wanted to let them know that they were dead to me. In a classy way of course.” He says with a smirk. </p><p>“Of course. That is… probably more polite than what I would have done.” He admits, remembering how he’d dealt with similar issues in the past.</p><p>“Oh really?” He asks, leaning closer across the counter. </p><p>“Let’s just say I’ve been in a fight once or twice. Not necessarily about being outed but about some kids in the neighborhood using some offensive terms.” He admits, perhaps downplaying how many incidents there had been.</p><p>“Well I’m sure you scared them out of using slurs.” Tony says, running his eyes over his arms.</p><p>“Not really, I used to weigh about 90 pounds and had asthma. Then I grew up a bit.” He says, trying not to sound like he’s bragging.</p><p>“Well it seems like you grew up nicely.” The other man admits softly. </p><p>“Thank you.” He replies just as softly. </p><p>“The first bouquet was to an employee I fired, they stole my work and tried to sell it off, the cyclamen was for an old ex, I thought it might be rude not to send any flowers but I didn’t want to send a bouquet that said I miss fucking you.” Tony admits, trying not to laugh.</p><p>“Ah, that makes a lot more sense. And well done on the choices, message very clearly came across.” He replies, surprised the other man knew the meaning behind the flowers.</p><p>“What did you think I was doing with them?” Tony asks with an incredulous grin.</p><p>“I thought you were possibly in a competition for the ugliest bouquet ever?” He admits, the only other explanation he can think of.</p><p>“Ha, I think I would have won with some of them. Anyway, if you’re free-“ Tony begins before the bell jingles and his friend Bucky busts through.</p><p>“Stevie, are you ready to close up because I have two tickets for-“ Bucky cuts off, only then does he realizes how he and Tony are practically leaning across the entire counter towards one another. </p><p>“Oh, well it looks like you’re busy then. Thank you for the flowers.” Tony says quickly, grabbing the flowers from where they lay on the counter and quickly turning to leave.</p><p>“You… welcome.” He stutters out after the other man.</p><p>“Did you just say you welcome to that guy?” Bucky asks with a snort.</p><p>“I think my brain stopped working around him.” He admits to his oldest friend.</p><p>“He is hot I’ll give you that.” Bucky says with an exaggerated eyebrow wiggle. </p><p>“Yeah and it seemed like he was going to ask me out until someone busted in here.” He says, adding an eye roll for good measure. </p><p>“Oh, I am sorry that your best friend came to surprise you with Yankees tickets, I’ll just go invite Sam instead, he’ll appreciate it-“ Bucky says ask he turns to leave.</p><p>“Woah woah woah, not so fast, I’ll go, I’ll go.” He says as he walks around the counter. </p><p>“And besides, if that guy is worth dating my friend, I’m sure he won’t give up that easily.” Bucky says with an all knowing smile. The one he kind of wants to punch sometimes.</p><p>“Whatever Buck, lemme grab my coat.”</p><p> </p><p>“Got another order for you.” Nat says with a wide grin, holding the ticket in front of him.</p><p>“Sooooo put it in the pile with the rest of them. Like we do with every single order.” He says slowly, as though they hadn’t done this every day for the past six months.</p><p>“I think you’ll want to see this one.” She says, shoving it into his face.</p><p>“Red tulip, white lily, apple blossom, yellow pansy….” He says slowly.</p><p>“Did you see who it was from?” She asks with a smirk.</p><p>“Tony…” He says slowly, breathing out a sigh at the thought of the other man.</p><p>“He’s out front right now, if you want to discuss that bouquet.” She says innocently.</p><p>He tries not to practically run to the front, taking a deep breath before he pushes the door open.</p><p>“Tony, I saw your order….” He says, the other man looking even more handsome than he remembered. </p><p>“I’m thinking of you, I prefer you before all, my love is pure and I declare my love. I know love is a strong word but it’s really hard finding flowers that say I think you are really hot and want to ask you out.” Tony says with a soft smile. </p><p>He has to pause for a moment, because really, how could this be happening to him? This is some rom-com shit, not something that happens to a kid from Brooklyn. He suddenly realizes he hasn’t answered when Tony’s smile becomes more nervous. He looks around the shop quickly and grabs a flower nearby.</p><p>“Hyacinthe, your loveliness charms me.” He says, giving the flower to the other man.</p><p>“So is that a yes to the date?” Tony looks equally as smitten, holding the flower to his chest.</p><p>“Most definitely.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading!!</p><p>Feel free to leave comments!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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